2 ways to try lentils right now

• Be on the lookout for puffed lentils, a new healthy snack that looks like puffed rice, due to hit the market any day now.
• Lentil sprouts add crunch to salads, stir-fries and sandwiches.

3 things you may not know about lentils

• The lentil was reputedly the first plant ever to be cultivated by humans.
• Lentils are the fast food of pulses; unlike dried beans and peas, there's no need to soak lentils before cooking.
• All Canadian commercial lentil production takes place in the prairies, with Saskatchewan at 98%; India is the largest producer in the world, but Canada is the largest export producer of lentils.

1 tip you can't live without

• To boil lentils, use 1-1/2 cups of liquid for each cup of lentils. Lentils placed in already boiling water will be easier to digest than those that were brought to a boil with the water.

1 way to get the most out of lentils

• Try some of the rustic Middle Eastern recipes in A Fistful of Lentils by Jennifer Abadi, or the exotic international concoctions of A Passion for Pulses by Nancy Longnecker.

2 kinds of lentils to try this fall

• French, or Puy, lentils with their small greyish-green seed coat are firm and great for salads.
• Small, round red lentils add flair to Indian dishes.

The Canadian Living Recipes section has many delicious recipes featuring lentils for you to try.